Machakos University was granted its charter on October 7, 2016. Formerly, it was a constituent college of Kenyatta University. Prior to becoming a constituent college of Kenyatta University, the institution was a technical institute known as Machakos Technical Training Institute (MTTI), with a strong foundation in Engineering and Technology, Hospitality, and Tourism.
The University is committed to excellence in teaching and training, with a strong pedagogical foundation that supports its mandate of providing accessible, affordable, flexible, and relevant academic programmes to meet evolving socio-economic and other societal needs.